Anti-friction wheel bearings such as used in roller skates are press fit in wheel cavities typically in molded plastic wheels. Such wheels wear out before the bearings, which may be removed and reinstalled in new wheels a number of times. Cylindrical cavity recesses may include an internal shoulder to accommodate bearing insertion from either side with a through opening providing full clearance for the inner race. With the bearing seated against the shoulder in a relatively wide wheel, the shoulder may be offset from the center to locate the bearing near one side or alternatively close to the center; or in some cases, a pair of bearings may be installed from either side.
It is known in the art to provide a bearing removal tool, having a pull rod which may be inserted through the inner race of a seated bearing with a laterally offset tang on the end of the pull rod able to engage one side of the inner bearing race. A threaded collar engaging a threaded bushing fixed on the pull rod reacts against one side of the wheel during rotation while holding a knob fixed on the rod pulling the bearing out of the wheel. The offset tang imposes an offset load on the inner race tending to cock the bearing as it is withdrawn from the bearing seat.
To install a bearing with such tool, an oppositely threaded end of the pull rod is inserted through the bearing and a separate threaded sleeve with a cross pin is turned against the bearing while holding the knob.